Your Voice
by NessaMoon
Summary: Sakura wakes up one night feeling all alone, the words of gratitude echoing in her ears.  Oneshot.


This is my first time writing Sasuke and Sakura in a romantic situation (and it really isn't much of one, I suppose). I really hope I wrote Sakura right since she's kind of the primary focus. This was kind of hard to write. It came to me at bedtime and I got up to write a really bad skeleton version, just so I could remember it the next day. I cut out a part of it at the last minute. Ultimately, it just did not fit with the mood.

Anyway, fic time!

Title: Your Voice  
Genre: Angst, Fluff  
Summary: Sakura wakes up one night feeling all alone, the words of gratitude echoing in her ears.  
Pairings: SasuSaku  
Rating: G  
Disclaimer: If I were Kishimoto, Sasuke and Sakura would be reunited by now. Clearly I'm not making any money off this fan fic.

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_"Sakura. Thank you."_

_She gasped and then something hit her in the back of the head. As she fell to the ground, the last words he said to her echoed through the darkness claiming her._

Thank you…

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura rose up in her bed. Immediately, she looked around and realized she was alone. Sasuke no where to be found. A feeling of loneliness filled her, threatening to crush her very being, much like when she woke up one morning on a bench and realized what Sasuke had done.

Drawing her legs close to her chest, she allowed the dream to play again in her mind. She could feel the anguish within her, the longing to be with him and the overwhelming feeling of loss over Sasuke's leaving. He had wanted revenge, not love. Something she could not offer.

All she had had left were her tears and the devastating feeling of left alone.

She willed herself not to cry, despite being alone where no one would see her. The whole incident happened years ago. If she permitted herself to dwell over the past, she would not be able to continue with her life and operate as a shinobi. She sighed and rubbed her watering eyes.

She got out of bed, stretched her arms and made her way through the house to go outside, hoping the fresh night air would free her mind of these thoughts. However, the moment she stepped out and looked up, memories flooded her once again.

A crescent moon was out. _Just like on that night…_ Despite not wanting to cry earlier, Sakura felt tears fall. She could not help herself. That night had been one of the worst nights of her life.

She had been alone after that night. Sure she had her family and friends and yes, she trained her hardest so the next time she faced Sasuke, she would be able to bring him home with her own power. But even surrounded by friends, nothing could fill the void Sasuke left in her heart. It was as if a part of her had been crushed to pieces and left to scatter to the winds.

She had done everything to keep him here. She offered to make him happy, fill his heart with joy so he would never have to worry about revenge or being lonely again. She confessed her love, not only because it had to be said, but also hoping that maybe, just maybe, if he knew someone wanted him, someone loved him, he would stay. She had even offered to help him with his revenge, despite feeling useless, despite not knowing exactly what she could do.

And when that had failed, she had offered to go with him, go to Sound, just so they would not be alone anymore.

Yet that had not been enough either.

Sasuke had left…saying she was annoying and a word of thanks.

Her cheeks were wet from fresh tears. Of all the things that plagued her, those last two words threatened to tear her up. Why did he thank her? Why not just knock her out and leave it at that? But he had to say an expression of gratitude, leaving only his voice to echo in her head as she fell to the ground unconscious.

Perhaps, and maybe this was truly the reason why the words weighed down on her so much, he was just trying to distract her so she would not scream.

Was that all they were?

"Sasuke-kun," she asked of the night air, hugging herself tightly and hoping it might have an answer to her question, "why did you thank me that night?"

"Why are you mulling over such things at this time of night?"

She did not move. Instead, she smiled slightly as the doubts started to fade. "I had a nightmare and I truly wonder why. Those words…" She looked over in Sasuke's direction. "And your voice was the last thing I heard before you knocked me out."

Sasuke walked over to where she stood on the porch, wearing only a pair of pants and his head down. "Do you really need to know the answer that badly? It's in the past."

Nothing had changed. Sasuke had never been much of a talker, not then, not now even married. However, despite not having a verbal reply to her question, she felt she already knew the answer, in Sasuke's actions, tiny signs only she could pick up. He regretted that night, the actions he did. She could see it now with the way he acted right now, the tone of his voice, avoiding her eyes and not wanting to give her an answer.

He had thanked her for caring about him, for filling up the loneliness in his life. He did not have to say it and maybe really, Sakura did not need a response. She already had everything she had wished for and, though he did not voice it, so did he. They were no longer lonely. "I guess I don't," she said, a smile still on her face and her misgivings erased.

"Come on," said Sasuke, his head still down as he put his hand on her shoulder and gently directed her to the door. "It'll be dawn in three hours and if we're out here long, we might wake the kids."

She nodded in agreement, allowing herself to be led away. As they walked down the hall, Sasuke slipped his hand into her and she allowed his voice to echo in her mind, not just words from one night years ago, but ones he had said in the years since he come back. The words of a simple life of peace from the friend, ninja and husband he had become for Naruto, the village and her.

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Yeah, I intentionally left out what time this took place in the beginning. I kind of hoped Sasuke's appearance would be a surprise. I really hope I did okay writing them.

Thank you for reading! - NessaMoon


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